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Published: July 25th 2006
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Room offer of 200Bht
Koh Tao, 1st offer of a room, very BASIC Koh Tao - Koh Samui
Friday 21st July
For fear of sounding like Ronnie Barker, "its been a funny sort of day!'
Checked out of my nice 'otel, on the move again. Awaited the bus, good bus, apart from the toilet, (another story). 4 Hours from Hua Hin to Chumphon, given a free cup of water and sauage in a roll by a sombe looking young lady.
Thank goodnes for my MP3 player from Mark and music from John's Jukebox.
Good journey, on the Catarman for 1 1/2 hours, film showing, something like cat woman??? I think I slept a bit...
Arrived in the heat of the day, sun blazing. It was not so easy to get accommodation, unless prepared to be ripped off big style. Taxi brought me to the part of the island away from the port, then he dropped me off at PJ tours, said I could get a room for 500Bht. They quoted 1500Bht, I thanked them and continued to walk along the beach. Next place was full up, next place offered 200Bht for room with Fan and shared toilet/shower. Sweatig cobs and getting exhausted I accepted. She showed me to a cupboard, with
room inside
Koh Tao, 1st offer of a room, very BASIC twin bed in and nothing else, also smelt musty. I decided it would do for one night and look elsewhere for tomorrow. As I was paying she mentioned diving and I said that I was interested in beginners. So I was signed up for 9000Bht with an immediate room upgrade for same price. Now I get room with own toilet/shower and a balcany. Blow me down if I am not taken back to the same desk 'PJ Tours' who had offered me a room for 1500Bht. Now I am getting one of the 500Bht rooms for 200Bht because I am signed up for the dive course. By the time I got in my final room and had shower its time to eat/drink. The dive course I am doing is SSI, not PADI, but I still get a recognised card I can take away with me and use at other dive sites (I am Assured!!). With PADI, they send your certificate home and your ticket runs out in 60 days. I felt that would be fine as I do not intend to make a career out of it, as long as I can use it. Hell I may not even like
shared bathroom
Koh Tao, 1st offer of a room, very BASIC it.........The PADI was gonna cost more and I would have to drag books around with me (apparently).
Saturday.....
The next day I start my course, on my own, I watch a video, given a book and sent away to read book and fill in test paper. Told to come back 9am Sun with up to chapter 4 done. and more classroom, will go in water for shallow start in afternoon. This is a beautiful island, but for some reason I cannot settle, feel really uncomfortable, everyone is so into thereself, couples and groups, few english, alot of German, and the Thai people 'can't' speak any english. It almost feels hostile. I guess Fionn would be able to analyse the reason easily (shortage of warm fuzzies??). I read my dive book and completed the questions, making me feel even more nervous, not sure I am ready to do this??
That evening when msn to John and voice my thoughts, he puts my thoughts into clarity, if I am not enjoying, I don't need to stay. That night dogs were barking and howling for hours.
Sunday morning - I went to see Kay and cancel the dive course, asked for my money
final room with balcany
Koh Tao, final offer of a room, still fairly BASIC back, said I wanted to get away on next ferry. She wanted me to wait until afternoon and book ferry through them 'PJ Tours' (its like they want you to be mindless here and do everything they say with thier company). So I went and booked one elsewhere for 10am. Desperite now to get away and not waste another precious day here.
She wouldn't give me back my money, said she had to wait for Manager, why she recommend I stay till the afternoon. I am reasonably sure the 'Manager' would have had a word with me and advised they could offer alternative, ie snorkeling but not money back. So I left...... . (Loss of 9000 bht, about 150GBP). Lesson learnt.
From now on, I won't be paying anything until I am sure of it.
Anyway, I got the boat out and over to Koh Samui on Sunday morning (23rd July), which turned out to be two ferries. I met a young girl from lancaster 'Laura' who had been separated from her friend, she was a bit worried about her. Something about her bags being in the wrong place on the boat and they wouldn't look for it, so
Beautiful Island Koh Tao
Koh Tao, Beach where I stayed. she had to stay on. It was complete Chaos, trying to re-claim your bag, (which got stacked on the deck and covered with tarpolin). Her freind was really racketing when we got off the boat, they had a month together, but I can see problems there already. I joined them in their taxi to the destination they were going (in complete silence). CHAWENG Beach.
Did the usual walk along the beach to find suitable accom, one I was shown was a dump, and I had made my mind up to pay more if necessary and get rested properly. Sweat was pooring from me in the 3pm heat of the sun, and the people on the beach were watching me 'LIKE COWS DO, WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THEIR FIELD', I finally found a bungalow for 750 a night, at the quiet end of the beach. so right near the beach and the main street. Its very nice and the people who work here/ owner are also really freindly. Feel better already. Wait for it, its called O P Bungalows, very appropriate!. I think I will stay here for a few days, book a day trip with snorkeling and think about next
place. I will even try to get accom booked in advance next time, not easy though. Tour operators are keen to book your transport and it works very well. Usually pick up from hotel/guest house and taken to port/station, but they don't want to book accom, can't work out why that is yet?. (not enough commission perhaps).
Other very useful items, Torch, Washing Line, plug, and travel clock.
Monday 24th July
Settling in here nicely, apart from the itchy mozzy bites, starting to relax, everyone here is very friendly, feel happier already. Staying until Friday.
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Jo Bowmont
non-member comment
Tour East
No sure if last comment saved, so here goes again..... look up Tour East, they were fantastic, they looked after us from Bangkok and back again. We stayed at Chang Moi, lovely. I remember seeing the OP bungalows, just up your street!!